Need help on a player's background! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need help on a player's background! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rinna
11-26-04, 05:03 PM I will be starting up an Eberron campaign very shortly, and I've been asking my players about their character's background. My one player has a tendency to make characters who have no ties to their pasts. I'm not even sure if she realizes she does it. Anyway, I'd like a way to turn things around where there's something from her past that come back to haunt her or something. I'm hoping this will bring her more into the game and keep her awake.

As she told it to me, her character was abandoned when she was young. A kindly, old hermit woman took her in and took care of her. She was a druid and taught the character the ways of the wood and eventually she became a ranger. Since her guardian lived in a secluded location deep in the woods, her character had no contact with the outside world, until the old hermit woman died of old age. She burried her and decided it was time to see the world. During her travels, she stopped a hunter from killing a swan. This swan turned out to be a Swanmay, who turned her into a swanmay as well. Deciding she could better protect the forest by going out into the world and seeing what dangers were out there, she left the Swanmay village. This is where she is when the campaign starts.

And I didn't want her go get away with having practically no past. I wanted there to be something she didn't know about. Like her guardian being more than she seemed. I have already asked my brother about this, as he's very good with coming up with interesting and unusual ideas, and this is what he came up with

The woman didn't really die. When her ward burried her, she was born again, like a seed. It's something she'd done for a long time. In each lifetime, she takes in someone else, teaches them, and when her job is done she dies to be born again, helping someone new.

I kind of liked this idea, and took it another step forward. This woman is actually a fallen angel from Shavarath or Syrania who was tainted by the mortal world and can't return. So instead, she has decided to try and do as much good on this world as she can.

Added to this, perhaps she has an enemy, the one who caused her to fall, perhaps a demon of some sort, who also gave her a curse that she couldn't just help anyone. She was cursed to help only one person at a time. And when she'd done, she'd die.

There are, perhaps, a few dozen or so of her wards out there in the world. I also liked the idea that maybe she gives each of her wards some symbol, an amulet or something, that marks them as one of her "children". The character having this amulet could be the target of the demon, who wants to stop the angel's good works, and would find it interesting should she find anyone else with the same amulet. Plus, the possibility of her coming across the hermit woman again, perhaps as a child as she ages to maturity to help another person.

I was just curious as to what anyone thought of this idea and if anyone could improve on it. I'm just trying to get my player to participate more in the game, give her a little more that's just for her, and she's given me just so little to work with.

Yeah, I could do something with the whole Swanmay thing, and I probably will, I just want to do more than just that. So any ideas would be a great help.

Rinna
Zalaz Mavi
11-26-04, 05:40 PM There's a player in my group that has a similar concept to yours. Her character is a Tiefling (half-demon) who was found as a baby in Sharn by a priest of Aureon. The priest raised her within the sphere of his religion — to respect the laws of civilization and appreciate the value of learning — meanwhile disguising her otherworldly nature from the world. Secretly however, she absorbed these values and applied them to her expert talents for thievery. She realized that there are laws besides those of society and understood the value of good planning and preparation before committing a crime. After the priest died, she found that with no family, no legacy to pursue and no knowledge of her real origins, she would have to make her own destiny and create her own identity.
While the character isn't past-less, the player and I agree that keeping her origins mysterious makes for a better story. We imagined scholars and bards debating her legend for centuries. She would have hundreds of invented origin stories just as colorful as tales of her adventures...
Ch@pel
11-26-04, 06:05 PM Definately try to get her more involve with backstories and character development, that will improve the game for everyone. Just a word of warning though, whatever you plan to do, be careful not to make the backstory just a liability for her, or the player will just get more turned off by it.
Gurv
11-26-04, 06:05 PM It sounds like your player is a master at avoiding a past. Does she role-play well once the game is underway, or does she avoid developing much of a personality too? If that is the case, you'll have to do more than come up with a past for her character.

There is a type of angel, called an radiant idol in the Sharn sourcebook. It doesn't sound like what you are trying for here, but instead represents an angel that has fallen due to a need to be worshipped as a god. Perhaps instead of a normal demon, the enemy of the woman is just such an idol. They may have some history, during which she tried to convince the corrupt angel of his errors and became entangled in his banishment and transformation into a radiant idol. As long as he is worshipped by mortals, neither of them can return to the heavens.

This radiant idol is not so corrupt that he would attack a celestial (and perhaps the two were once more than just friends), but with her constant troublemaking (she just can't seem to see how worthy of worship they are), he was forced to have his followers bind her somewhere. Trapped far away from society, she has taken a new tactic: raising others to good morals and bringing out their inner potential.

In addition, she has been slowly breaking the magical binding that prevents her from wandering. Although the magic would still hold her imprisoned even if she were to channel herself (ECS, 103), she has found a way to do so- bit by bit, she has invested her spirit into the young ones she has raised as her own. Each time, it weakens her, causing her to become something less. The mortals so imbued wander the world, drawn instinctively towards her corrupted counterpart; in some cases they have died, passing the channeled spirit to their own children.

Finally, the good angel has channeled the last piece of her divine soul into her latest prodigy (the PC), and physically died. But her task has just begun, for now it is time to gather those who went before, collect the pieces of the celestial soul, and end the cult that has formed around the corrupted angel. The others are unknowingly drawn to this radiant idol, yet repulsed by him, leading many of them to opposed him, often angering him and leading to imprisonment in his cult's dungeons. One of them (the PC) will have to gather them together, convince them of her purpose, and act as the vessel for the good angel (that’s what we call a climatic ending, son).
Rinna
11-26-04, 06:48 PM :OMG!
Whoa. I read that and I just...stared. Wow. Excellent idea, my friend. I think I will be using much of that.

As for your earlier question about how well she role-plays...well, I must admit she'd newer to D&D than the rest of the group (a scant three years to our seven). Her characters are often very similar, but she does do a good bit of role-playing when there are non-combat encounters. She just often falls asleep during combat! One reason I'm trying to find more opportunities for her. I don't think she's been given much to role-play with in the time she's been gaming (our old DM was crappy about that). I have every intention of encouraging her to think about her character more.

Anyway, thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it.

Rinna
Gurv
11-26-04, 07:42 PM Whoa. I read that and I just...stared. Wow. Excellent idea, my friend. I think I will be using much of that.
Glad you liked it. I may make use of it myself.

As far as getting a player to come out of her shell..that is a bit harder. I have a similar player, and I've tried tactic after tactic. I'd be interested in hearing how giving her a central role in the game works for you. So far, it hasn't worked for me. I'm hoping its just the one player and not me failing as a DM. :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rinna 11-26-04, 05:03 PM	I will be starting up an Eberron campaign very shortly, and I've been asking my players about their character's background. My one player has a tendency to make characters who have no ties to their pasts. I'm not even sure if she realizes she does it. Anyway, I'd like a way to turn things around where there's something from her past that come back to haunt her or something. I'm hoping this will bring her more into the game and keep her awake. As she told it to me, her character was abandoned when she was young. A kindly, old hermit woman took her in and took care of her. She was a druid and taught the character the ways of the wood and eventually she became a ranger. Since her guardian lived in a secluded location deep in the woods, her character had no contact with the outside world, until the old hermit woman died of old age. She burried her and decided it was time to see the world. During her travels, she stopped a hunter from killing a swan. This swan turned out to be a Swanmay, who turned her into a swanmay as well. Deciding she could better protect the forest by going out into the world and seeing what dangers were out there, she left the Swanmay village. This is where she is when the campaign starts. And I didn't want her go get away with having practically no past. I wanted there to be something she didn't know about. Like her guardian being more than she seemed. I have already asked my brother about this, as he's very good with coming up with interesting and unusual ideas, and this is what he came up with The woman didn't really die. When her ward burried her, she was born again, like a seed. It's something she'd done for a long time. In each lifetime, she takes in someone else, teaches them, and when her job is done she dies to be born again, helping someone new. I kind of liked this idea, and took it another step forward. This woman is actually a fallen angel from Shavarath or Syrania who was tainted by the mortal world and can't return. So instead, she has decided to try and do as much good on this world as she can. Added to this, perhaps she has an enemy, the one who caused her to fall, perhaps a demon of some sort, who also gave her a curse that she couldn't just help anyone. She was cursed to help only one person at a time. And when she'd done, she'd die. There are, perhaps, a few dozen or so of her wards out there in the world. I also liked the idea that maybe she gives each of her wards some symbol, an amulet or something, that marks them as one of her "children". The character having this amulet could be the target of the demon, who wants to stop the angel's good works, and would find it interesting should she find anyone else with the same amulet. Plus, the possibility of her coming across the hermit woman again, perhaps as a child as she ages to maturity to help another person. I was just curious as to what anyone thought of this idea and if anyone could improve on it. I'm just trying to get my player to participate more in the game, give her a little more that's just for her, and she's given me just so little to work with. Yeah, I could do something with the whole Swanmay thing, and I probably will, I just want to do more than just that. So any ideas would be a great help. Rinna
Zalaz Mavi 11-26-04, 05:40 PM	There's a player in my group that has a similar concept to yours. Her character is a Tiefling (half-demon) who was found as a baby in Sharn by a priest of Aureon. The priest raised her within the sphere of his religion — to respect the laws of civilization and appreciate the value of learning — meanwhile disguising her otherworldly nature from the world. Secretly however, she absorbed these values and applied them to her expert talents for thievery. She realized that there are laws besides those of society and understood the value of good planning and preparation before committing a crime. After the priest died, she found that with no family, no legacy to pursue and no knowledge of her real origins, she would have to make her own destiny and create her own identity. While the character isn't past-less, the player and I agree that keeping her origins mysterious makes for a better story. We imagined scholars and bards debating her legend for centuries. She would have hundreds of invented origin stories just as colorful as tales of her adventures...
Ch@pel 11-26-04, 06:05 PM	Definately try to get her more involve with backstories and character development, that will improve the game for everyone. Just a word of warning though, whatever you plan to do, be careful not to make the backstory just a liability for her, or the player will just get more turned off by it.
Gurv 11-26-04, 06:05 PM	It sounds like your player is a master at avoiding a past. Does she role-play well once the game is underway, or does she avoid developing much of a personality too? If that is the case, you'll have to do more than come up with a past for her character. There is a type of angel, called an radiant idol in the Sharn sourcebook. It doesn't sound like what you are trying for here, but instead represents an angel that has fallen due to a need to be worshipped as a god. Perhaps instead of a normal demon, the enemy of the woman is just such an idol. They may have some history, during which she tried to convince the corrupt angel of his errors and became entangled in his banishment and transformation into a radiant idol. As long as he is worshipped by mortals, neither of them can return to the heavens. This radiant idol is not so corrupt that he would attack a celestial (and perhaps the two were once more than just friends), but with her constant troublemaking (she just can't seem to see how worthy of worship they are), he was forced to have his followers bind her somewhere. Trapped far away from society, she has taken a new tactic: raising others to good morals and bringing out their inner potential. In addition, she has been slowly breaking the magical binding that prevents her from wandering. Although the magic would still hold her imprisoned even if she were to channel herself (ECS, 103), she has found a way to do so- bit by bit, she has invested her spirit into the young ones she has raised as her own. Each time, it weakens her, causing her to become something less. The mortals so imbued wander the world, drawn instinctively towards her corrupted counterpart; in some cases they have died, passing the channeled spirit to their own children. Finally, the good angel has channeled the last piece of her divine soul into her latest prodigy (the PC), and physically died. But her task has just begun, for now it is time to gather those who went before, collect the pieces of the celestial soul, and end the cult that has formed around the corrupted angel. The others are unknowingly drawn to this radiant idol, yet repulsed by him, leading many of them to opposed him, often angering him and leading to imprisonment in his cult's dungeons. One of them (the PC) will have to gather them together, convince them of her purpose, and act as the vessel for the good angel (that’s what we call a climatic ending, son).
Rinna 11-26-04, 06:48 PM	:OMG! Whoa. I read that and I just...stared. Wow. Excellent idea, my friend. I think I will be using much of that. As for your earlier question about how well she role-plays...well, I must admit she'd newer to D&D than the rest of the group (a scant three years to our seven). Her characters are often very similar, but she does do a good bit of role-playing when there are non-combat encounters. She just often falls asleep during combat! One reason I'm trying to find more opportunities for her. I don't think she's been given much to role-play with in the time she's been gaming (our old DM was crappy about that). I have every intention of encouraging her to think about her character more. Anyway, thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it. Rinna
Gurv 11-26-04, 07:42 PM	Whoa. I read that and I just...stared. Wow. Excellent idea, my friend. I think I will be using much of that. Glad you liked it. I may make use of it myself. As far as getting a player to come out of her shell..that is a bit harder. I have a similar player, and I've tried tactic after tactic. I'd be interested in hearing how giving her a central role in the game works for you. So far, it hasn't worked for me. I'm hoping its just the one player and not me failing as a DM. :)